tubs

You're welcome handymaniac.

Hopefully the floor area where the tub goes has already been reinforced to handle the weight of a serious tub, many gallons of water plus the people who will use it.

The traditional way to set a mortar bed it to just use a straight mortar mix.

Other options include using a sand mix or a lightweight plaster mix like this called Structo-Lite.

Structo-Lite is a perlite-aggregate gypsum plaster that is much lighter than sand based mortar products.  If you are concerned about the weight use this and mix it with water to a "mashed potato" consistancy.

I would not be concerned about moisture issues from setting the mortar bed.  It is a one-time event.

Please let us know if you have any further questions about this or any other projects you may be working on.

We are here to help,

Newf.

Hey handymaniac, welcome to the Home Depot Community!

Bathtub installs are fairly straightforward.

There are a few things to set up carefully before the tub goes in.  First you will need to make sure that the tub will sit level and plumb to the floor as well as the wall studs.  For the base, you will either use shims or leveling blocks to make this happen. Less expensive, more flexible tubs may require you to set the base in a bed or mortar/cement to spread the weight load.  Stronger tubs may only need basic framing support across the bottom.  The installation instructions for the tub you pick out will explain any requirements specific to that tub.

The tub top flange along the walls will be secured to the wall with nails or screws.  I prefer using stainless steel fasteners, though many use galvanized roofing nails for this purpose.  Often, the flange is also supported from underneath with either 1x or 2x4 framing.  Ask_Mr_Jay has a post here that outlines how this is done.

Once again, depending on the tub, you will either drill through the top flange to place the fasteners, or set just the lower edge of the nail head on the flange.

Lastly, the drain flange is usually set with plumbers putty.  Be on the lookout in the instructions for your tub for the need to use silicone caulk instead.  Some tub materials are discolored by using putty.

Here are links to a couple of manuals so you can get an idea of common variations on installing specific tubs:

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/f3/f3468fec-0247-4ee6-a19a-af4bbb940f49.pdf  

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/fb/fb8e2510-fd69-4ec4-9bc6-4c29fbdc882c.pdf  

Here you will find the Home Depot Buying Guide for tub selection.

I hope this helps,

Newf.

thanks for the info,newf.

if you pour 2in of cement or mortor wont the floor joists have to be reinforced for the weight.and what about the moisture from mixing the cement?

thanks, now i know what i might be up against. dont sound like to bad of a job.